Synchronicity is a number of uncommon things that happen unexpectedly in fast succession. Uncommonly this week, four people with books inside them unexpectedly popped from their covers to portray to me their plots.

It's said everyone has a book inside them. The problem is, most cannot plan a book, let alone write or publish. They stumble in their darkness of lack of writing knowledge, perhaps starting to write, then stopping when they realize they have no writing training. They fumble with lack of ability to plan or self-critique. I used to. It's normal.

It's not normal though for four people to open their hearts and trust someone with their book ideas. It's an honor. It's always an honor to be trusted, but to be trusted with seedling works of art is more so, because of natural fear of theft of copyright.

So due to copyright, I can't explain the books' detailed contents. Interestingly though, all four books are on healing cures, from different angles. As my passion is to cure problems doctors can't, I was excited to help.

My previous blog mentioned two prospective authors - a healer and a born-again Christian. I met both this week.

The healer's natural gifts are powerful. He told stories of instant cures, of a long-term sick girl in a bar cured in seconds. Her entire face looked different after, like a different child. Her parents thanked him profusely, as he dealt with the queue of interest in the bar. That's how it is with instant cures of tough conditions. Troubled, pained expressions are smoothed and calmed in moments. He told wonderful stories, excellent material for a book. Doctors don't have answers to everything. The world needs to know such cures are possible.

I met the born-again Christian again on Sunday. He also told marvelous stories of how Jesus helps his healing gifts. One of his gifts are to see. For example, seeing black spots on arthritic knuckles, praying for the blackness to go, seeing it leave, and leaving the woman cured. He wants to write how Jesus heals through him. Doctors can't help everything. The world needs to know such cures are possible.

On Saturday, Janice said now is her time. Her healing and therapy centre in Barbados has recently taken off. She used Reiki to cure a local doctor of a long-term condition. The doctor was so shocked she didn't have to suffer any more, the doctor asked Janice to teach her Reiki. Janice mentioned other cures she's achieved. "Has any healer in Barbados," I asked, "written a book on their healing cures?" They hadn't, so I suggested Janice be the first. "If now is your time," I suggested, "it's time to write a book of your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual cures. The book will give you credibility with other doctors." Doctors can't help everything. The world needs to know such cures are possible.

The fourth book was from Mark in Mexico. "It's amazing the cures we get for ADHD children," I said. "Your PhD research with my therapies showed 90.9% success within three weeks. Surely there's no better therapy for ADHD in the world." Mark agreed, and will write a book with me, showing parents how to help their children. Doctors can't help everything. The world needs to know such cures are possible.

So I'll support four authors with books on their version of healing cures. The point it, they do work. There are countless research studies showing how effective healing is. In doctors' surgeries, healers help 72% of patients doctors can't help.

Doctors can't help everything. The world needs to know such cures are possible.

Doctors are limited in their scope. In the 1920s Dr Kondo, a medical doctor said in the Japanese Parliament that doctors know everything about the nature of a disease but don't know how to cure it. Dr Usui, the founder of Reiki, responded that Reiki practitioners know nothing about the nature of a disease but know how to cure it. This still holds true almost 100 years later.

Reiki or other CAM 'miracle' cures are weird, because no matter how great a 'miracle' it is, even some friends and family won't believe Reiki or CAM created the miracle. Even if they do believe, even less would try that CAM therapy themselves.

It's almost as if some people's minds are brainwashed against believing in cures, unless a doctor does it.Why believe only a doctor can achieve their cure, and it can't be found elsewhere? It's unrealistic.

Sceptics are strange, sad creatures. Their main delight in life is to knock CAM down without seeking evidence of the "miracle's" truth. I love sceptics if they seek balanced evidence. Most people I know can't stand sceptics who refuse to even look at evidence, but vociferously promote self-opinionated negative views.

I researched Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) with a PhD student at the University of London. Under strict research protocols, and nine measures that cross-validated each other, we showed that the CAM therapy I developed - ADHD-TriPlan - achieves 90.9% success within 3 weeks. Success increases to 96.9% after one year. That's academically researched. So people should soon be bashing my door down to be cured of ADHD?

It seems as a race of beings we are too complacent about health, and rely on doctors as the only option available. If a doctor can't cure, that must be that, huh? The evidence though is that sports stars and the rich and famous regularly turn to CAM. For example, Prince Charles is a fervent backer of CAM. England's soccer team had a healer under the manager Glen Hoddle. (We played well under him!) Pat Cash, the tennis star, became a Reiki healer after he was helped by Reiki. I reckon Manchester United employs the best healers, because Man U's doing great! :-)

If someone has a chronic condition such as asthma, back pain or arthritis, and doctors can't help further, many don't seek help from CAM. They accept their disability and suffer, along with their family and society suffer for the rest of their lives. Some though try CAM therapies. Research studies in doctors surgeries show that 71% of chronic patients doctors can't help, can be helped by healers! :-) If only all patients with chronic conditions saw a healer. There would be sooo much less suffering!

It's worse if people have a condition such as cancer, and wait until doctors can't help any more before seeking CAM. By then it's too late and many die. But some are cured by CAM. A miracle? No just normal. Like the anti-cancer program on www.cancertherapyprogram.com (website almost finished.) If only all cancer patients received CAM soon after diagnosis. There might be sooo much less suffering!

In my Harley Street clinic, international clinics, and Margate residential therapy centre, my patients were mainly ones doctors could not help further. My success rate, bases on a triangulation assessment of quantitative, qualitative, and limitation data, showed almost everyone improved, and many were cured. This week I'll publish some of my cases, to show miracles are normal.

My objective is not to have a queue of patients. Been there, done that, with queues from 8.30 in the morning to 1.30 the next morning. No, my objective here is to say, just because doctors can't help you any more, don't give up.

The British Olympics is now over, but there's an Olympic analogy for those who wish to "relieve suffering", or "make a difference"...

"Helping the world" is like becoming an Olympian - it's a tough feat of dedication and endurance. You could fail in many ways. But if you win, rewards are worth their weight in gold.

For many years I worked 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Life was dedicated to relieve physical, emotional, mental, and soul suffering one-to-one in clinics, or to teach others in groups how to do the same. And to practice and teach therapies, and psychic and spiritual subjects. Everything aimed to "relieve suffering, or "make a difference"...

Life was ultra busy, but felt fun and easy-peasy. * Four secretaries, two housekeepers, and many support staff helped tens of thousands of patients and students. * Residential Centres in Margate and London, saw people from most countries on Earth arrive sad and leave smiling. * Requests came to open clinics and teaching centres across the globe - many still operate.

People asked how I could work so hard, why I didn't tire. Others tried to persuade me to holiday, to care for myself, to have personal fun.

Dedication to helping others is like Olympians. If you win, if you cure cancer, severe pain, depression, or a life-time of suffering... if you help students open clinics or teaching centres to help countless others... if you win, money is not important, but rewards are worth their weight in gold.

This is written because I've just had time out for myself. Not helping others felt strange, like not winning gold, like coming last in every race. But critical needs included property renovation, resolution of side effects of a drug a doctor gave me, huge family challenges, and so on. Then, for a change, to holiday in Scotland, and for the Olympics.

Perhaps it's a bit like when Olympians retire too early for personal reasons. People complain they should continue.

So I've had "complaints" I should have helped patients, such as a lady's pain (she's phoned every day, starting when I was in Scotland). Or I should have taught students Reiki (many students are waiting to study with me). Or I should have written or published more books (people are waiting for books as far afield as Sweden, UK, Hong Kong, and Australia).

I also complain about myself! :-) I could have followed up requests to teach in France, Greece, USA etc quicker. They'll still happen - it'll just take longer. For me, that means allowing suffering to exist longer too. :-(

People are quick to complain (even me about myself) and slow to praise. If there were less complaints and more praise within inter-personal relationships, the world would be a happier place.

There's a common saying, "Life is about balance". Yesterday balance came in two emails thanking me for my work.

I trust that you doing great sharing the Light and Love around you - as you have always done! Thank you again for being my Reiki Teacher!!!! That did change my life! (In ultra-positive ways.) Ula, Reiki Master, Poland

"Allan was my second Reiki teacher. To this day, he is still a great inspiration for me. If you are looking for a Reiki teacher or healing practitioner, Allan is as good as you can ever get. I have known a number of different Reiki teachers and have taught over a hundred students myself over the years. Allan always goes above and beyond what you can learn from other teachers, not to mention that he is FUN at the same time. His healing and psychic ability never ceases to amaze me. Most importantly, Allan is a true embodiment of the universal LOVE and healing energy. He has greatly accelerated my spiritual development through his teaching, advice, and examples. I cannot recommend him enough to any serious (or not so serious but fun-loving) spiritual seekers." Gloria Chan, ex-Chief Inspector of Police at Royal Hong Kong Police

Like the Olympic analogy, to "make a difference helping the world" is like becoming an Olympian - it's a tough feat of dedication and endurance. I, like others, fail in many ways. But if we win, rewards are not monetary, but are worth their weight in gold.

In between sorting stacks of paperwork this week, priorities were catching up with friends' and family over dinners (yum yum), and helping those in need by phone.

My Auntie Joan and I loved Gilda's roast fit for the ravenous, Natalie and Ted's sausage and mash, June's meat, cheese and chocolate buffet, chips on the harbour wall, and my sister Barbara's Sunday lunch. Nothing too spiritual, but the company was healing!

Helping those in need by phone included a suicidal man threatening to kill himself and his children, a cancer patient with days to live, a lady with multiple traumas, and so on.

As usual, no income this week. My life is about helping others, with unconditional love for their souls.

This wonderful world is enhanced if just one person improves. To be able to help every day, is a blessing, a humble service for humankind on behalf of God and the angels.

The cancer group felt sad. Two members had died that week. Some members seemed in painful agony. If only I can help their lives a tiny, weeny bit... Alleviate some suffering...

Soon they played with healing energy, electric and magnetic sensations. They created balls of energy in their hands then felt electric and magnetic energies in each other. Sadly, a few could not move their arms, they were in such severe pain.

After teaching how to self-heal they healed each other. Some had such terrible pain they could hardly move or speak. Persons scored their pain out of 10, where 10 is worst possible, and 1 is no pain at all.

Results were astonishing. In minutes, one person shouted in glee that their pain was at zero for the first time for months. Everyone clapped. Over the next few minutes, others shouted happily their pain had gone too. Everyone clapped. Again and again...

Two patients’ pains remained terrible.

One had been operated on, could not talk, with severe pains in neck and shoulders. I guided his ‘healer’ to heal differently, until the pain disappeared. He couldn’t believe he was pain free. Everyone was soooo pleased for him...

The worst pain was in a lady with stage 4 cancer, expected by doctors to be terminal, to die. Her face contorted in agony when she tried to move her arms. Such a tough case... so I healed her myself. Within minutes, her pain reduced to zero. She couldn’t believe it, and waved her arms in the air with a huge grin.

Everyone left pain free and smiling! Yippeee.

Perhaps this success teaching healing to the Jewish cancer group could be repeated in other groups around the world? If you’re a healer, it might be worth trying...?

For some cancers, orthodox medical doctors offer little hope, and less help. Countless people suffer and die. Yet back in the 1960s, Carl Simonton, a cancer radiation doctor, wrote a globally best-selling book, "Getting Well Again."

Simonton's technique was ridiculed by doctors (as are most therapies they don't use). But it's now researched, effective, and prolongs/saves lives. It's now used in USA hospitals to fight cancer. Many of my patients benefit.

The technique is sooooo simple. Patients first learn the look of a normal healthy cell, and a cancer cell. Next, they imagine normal cells battling cancer cells, and winning.

Examples are: 1) Video game character Pacman eats all cancer cell images in its way until they're gone. Pacman never gets full.2) Cancer cells are slow moving toothless grey fish, eaten up by large, toothy, hungry fierce, fast rainbow fish.3) Cancer cells are dirt, and a huge normal cell is a vacuum cleaner swallowing the dirt until cleaned.

Patients simply find what feels most powerful to them. After visualization three times a day for 15 minutes each, results to cure cancers doctors cannot help are nothing short of miraculous.

Recently I helped a friend in Singapore, Davina, who has a condition that could lead to cancer. She eventually found a complicated visualisation that, as a Hindu, seemed perfect for her - the classic story of the God Krishna and Arjuna in a white chariot winning a battle, helped by Hanuman the Monkey God who recruits millions of white monkeys into the army. She wrote,

"So I invoke the Gods and they enter with the army and are seeking out all the weak deteriorating shrivelled grey cells. They invade by the millions targeting with their arrows at these deteriorating cells which are easily brought down. Monkeys then clean off dead cells by spraying water over them. They are drained into the drainage system and flushed out of the body system. White monkeys then hose the whole area with pure holy water which contains millions of white blood cells which which are implanted and ingrained and root themselves deep resulting to new rejuvenated cells. I see them as new trees sprouting up all white with a white glow growing strong and majestically with the same life force as the Gods."

Time will tell if this helps Davina. But it seems powerful for her...

Doctors can't help many chronic and acute conditions. Ask friends to buy a second-hand copy of Carl Simonton's "Getting Well Again" cheaply on Amazon. The mind is a powerful healing tool...

PLEASE Facebook or Twitter this to suffering friends, especially those doctors cannot help. Help relieve suffering and death. There's nothing to lose, and perhaps everything to gain!

'Rough please,' I replied, not knowing what rough meant. I found 'rough' means the opposite of creamed, chunks of everything to chew on with tortilla chips. Yummy!

I'd met a lady two days before. She'd presented her idea for guided imagery support to a children's cancer hospital - but didn't know how to go about it, so offered her services for free. I'd offered to teach her how to go about it. Then yesterday, at the Angels, Guides and All Things Spiritual Group, I'd met five others who wished to learn too!

The seven of us finished lunch, and the cancer meeting started with a standard presentation of my 2-week anti-cancer program. Every oncologist who has seen this presentation has so far wished to work with me. (If interested, go to www.cancertherapyprogram.com - as at March 2012 the cancer website is almost finished.)

They loved the program, and asked how to set it up. So I'll probably return to Texas this year, to train cancer therapists, and give presentations to oncologists.

Lunch suddenly got exciting (for me). Three of our six people cried quite substantial tears. We'd started talking about angels on earth, and how and why they usually feel so alone. 'I don't know why I'm crying,' they all said.

'I know,' I said gently. 'It's because you recognise, deep in your soul, that someone at last understands you.'

They all nodded. I took out tissues and explained that so many people cry when they meet me, my left hand pocket contains clean tissues, and the right hand pocket dirty ones, so they just need to check which pocket the tissues come from.

It soon became apparent all six were potential angelic souls. 'This could be Destiny,' I said. 'Would you like to meet again for a one hour lecture on angels on earth?' If you feel the lecture is relevant, we could start an angelic Soul Work Group in Austin. We'll support your human suffering, and help achieve your soul job quicker, bigger and better.'

Many thanks to all who sent best wishes for my giggly aunt-in-law Nell, in hospital with cancer by email, facebook and phone. Some of you had met her giggles, like Teresa who came with us to Paris, and Linda who met her on holiday in Margate. Your kind thoughts are appreciated. (NB - if you prefer, you can now reply direct to this post by clicking on "Comments" above or below. If you prefer private emails etc., that's fine too!) The good news is, Nell is comfortable, pain-free, and happy. And receiving much love, care and healing.

Views on how to help potential death cases are always interesting. Two main opinions are, "Allan, do your best to cure her," and "Allan, do your best to help her move on peacefully." Few believe in doing nothing. And few speak of her soul after death, whether she'd be "trapped" or "lost" or find her correct place.

My personal view is different. If someone we love is potentially dying, our emotions could barricade healing aims. If we desire outcomes like helping her live, or helping a peaceful death, maybe that's ego. Maybe ego could create an outcome that wasn't a plan of the Gods for her soul. Free Will does not always work for goodness...

Here's an example from my life.

When my grandmother was 96, she accidentally took a large overdose of Steradent tablets (for cleaning false teeth.) She was taken, unconscious, to the hospital emergency ward, where she lay stretched on a bed. I was there, between my father and my mother. A nurse watched machines attached to my gran. The wavy lines lessened. Then went flat. The nurse said, 'It looks like she's on her way out now.'

As my aunt Joan would say, I had a "special relationship" with my gran. We were close. I'd always visit when in London, discuss life, and play poker, 3-card brag, or cribbage. She always won, even at 96. I never knew how, because I beat anyone else. She'd know when to be quiet. But when she won conversations, it was always cleverly, gently and sweetly, with a cheeky smile when she delivered her punchline. I remember once when I was "winning" a happy conversation, and thought she'd given up. She calmly wrote on paper, "2yysur2yysubicur2yys4me". 'What does that mean?' she asked. I knew from her look she hadn't given up. (Answer below.)

I was specially close to my gran. Suddenly at 96, unexpectedly, on the emergency bed, lines on machines had gone flat. I thought, She's lived for the previous 40 plus years since her husband died, for a 100th birthday telegram from the Queen. She's only 4 years short of her beloved telegram.

I ask my students on courses, 'What else was I thinking at that moment?' Answers come, 'You want to cure her, bring her back,' or 'She's 96, so you want to help her move on safely, and not be a lost soul.'

It was none of these. I was too close to my gran to make rational choices, or know the Will and Destiny of the Gods. My thoughts were, "Dear God, if this is the right time for my gran to die, thank you very much God, she's had great life, please care for her. But if this is the right time for her to live, dear God, thank you very much." The thoughts released my emotions and outcome to the Gods.

I held out my hand, touched her forehead, and silently used a healing method. My father looked askance - my gran was "on her way out", and I had my hand on her forehead, smiling.

Just as I came to the important part of the healing method, all the machines leaped back to life.

My gran's 100th was a special occasion. At 101, she sang karaoke at the local pub. She died just short of her 103rd birthday.

I've done similar for others potentially dying. Although some died, some had miracles of life, like an ex-girlfriend's hospitalised mother. The family had said their goodbyes while a priest said the Last Rites. I arrived after they'd left. After administering a therapy, she lived happily for another 11 years.

Every such case comes with thoughts that whatever the Gods need the outcome to be, if they agree, I'd like to help. In whatever way the Gods think fit, I'd like to help Nell too.

NB - 2yysur2yysubicur2yys4meToo wise you are, too wise you be, I see you are too wise for me. (The final words.)

‘I’ve been reading about healing and Reiki,’ Tony said. ‘There are countless systems, but it doesn’t matter which you learn.’

We sat outside a beach café near our homes, on curved Westgate Bay. Wind-surfers’ coloured sails leapt to the sky above white foam seas. It was cold, windy, and beautiful. ( See http://www.northdowns.plus.com/kentcoast/images/minnismargate/minnismargate-006.html ) My grandmother had 13 children; they each had 3 or four. Our families would take over a local beach or park with football, baseball, cricket etc. Sunny days meant happy daze. Tony is one of my 40+ cousins. He’s spiritual in nature, and philosophical in mind. ‘It doesn’t matter which Reiki you learn,’ he repeated, ‘because they all get the same results.’

‘I agree,’ I replied. 'Many "different" systems with different names are not much different. They just regurgitate other teachings. But some teachings are truly different, with better results for some illnesses.’

‘That’s not what I read. I haven’t found better results anywhere.’

A towering wave surged towards the wind-surfers. Just before the wave hit, they somersaulted high, hanging in the air under parachutes. After the wave passed, they landed on calmish water like a small flock of birds. But the wave hit one wind-surfer. He floundered in the sea, struggling to pull the sail up again.

‘That’s the analogy,’ I said. ‘Not all wind-surfers get great results. Some can’t somersault. Some sink. Some give up because results aren’t good compared to others.'

‘It’s the same in everything,’ Tony said. ‘Some plumbers get bad results, so do some landscape gardeners, even some doctors. My local doctor has bad results.’

Two more wind-surfers floundered badly.

‘Maybe it’s about trust,’ Tony continued. ‘Trust is the second greatest gift we can give someone. The first is love. But love without trust is not perfect love. How can I love and trust a Reiki healer to be better than other therapies?’

‘Check academic research?’ I suggested. ‘Find validated outcomes. You’ll see not every system achieves identical results.’

‘And your system...?’

‘It’s unethical to discuss cures with patients. But I try to cure where possible. After over 30 years in this field, I can’t help some conditions. Others I may philosophise on an approach. But others, I’m confident on curing. I have better results than orthodox medicine with, for example, emotions, depression, ADHD, grief, PTSD, fractures, even some cancerous tumours.’

‘So I need to love, and trust, you?’ Tony asked.

‘Trust comes from experience or research. If you experience a plumber's great job, you trust. If a terrible job, you don’t trust. Or, you research his results before you employ him. With me you can see before and after X-rays of fractures I’ve resolved, letters from patients whose tumours shrank, PhD research that over 90% of ADHD children are helped inside three weeks. And so on…’

‘I trust doctors,’ Tony said.

That's the therapy world. Why isn't academic research trusted evidence for intelligent minds? Perhaps few people want to know where to look. Trust truly is the second greatest gift. As if in agreement, as we said goodbye, trusted parachutes danced in the sky.

Today will have a happy ending - I've arrived in Odense, Denmark, Hans Christian Anderson's fairy-tale city. If you enjoy reading of fairy tale lives, humour and variety, these blog posts are written for you! Today, as you will discover, really is the first day of the rest of my life...

Examples of strange tales you might expect from this blog...

My fairy tale life started when born 80% disabled and doctors said I wouldn't make 'old bones', or even teenage years. From that moment, my stubborn fairy godmother and guardian angel set to work to prove the doctors wrong.

Joyful childhood fairy tales could be told of me singing in Canterbury Cathedral choir, playing piano, table-tennis, and snooker. Mystical fairy tales can be told of me aged 7 suddenly knowing healing methods to stay strong and alive. And horrid fairy tales could be told of the special boarding school for ‘delicate’ children where some classmates may have died, then a private boarding school where we wore black gowns and square mortar boards and childhood naughtiness wasn’t stopped by thrashings from the headmaster's bamboo canes.

Despite often being hospitalised twice a year, I became a professional photographer in Germany, a UK government business consultant, vice-president of the Speakers' Society, enjoyed dangerous black run skiing, played international chess, and so on. Being 80% disabled had wonderful benefits. I had a brain to achieve excellent careers or hobbies, but always ended in hospital deciding what to learn next!

Like in a fairy tale, one day I expected to go into hospital, but unexpectedly met a wonderfully weird woman. She put her hands on me, and almost in a wave of a magic wand, I was cured.

Decades later, I’m like the wonderfully weird woman. I’ve developed ‘magic’ cures for many conditions doctors cannot help; cured thousands of patients; constructed an anti cancer programme oncologists are dying to see; teach 63 psychic subjects; been complementary therapy tutor for UK prisons; taught thousands of students; pioneered effective therapies for 15 psychological conditions; lecture on angels and soul paths; and have written over 20 publications. I’ve co-presented a daily mystical TV show, and worked internationally with doctors, academics, governments, and three royal families. And so on. Nothing is more important than anything else. Everything is intended to relieve suffering, improve lives, and help our needy world.

If we give ourselves unconditionally to help others, God gives back without being asked. So God-given wonderful adventures include climbing the foothills of Mount Everest to give money to headmasters to re-build 8 dilapidated schools, driving atop hot sand dunes in the Sahara Desert, cruising near blue icebergs in the freezing Antarctic, trekking through equatorial forests, and visiting cities, islands and mountains galore. Imagine the contrast of finding an undiscovered pyramid in a Mexican jungle, with gigantic gold monkeys, and being gourmand secretary of a little society called ‘Chocoholics Unanimous’...

As in a fairy tale, one shouldn’t only experience goodness, love and fun. Balance should be in all things, otherwise how can we truly appreciate beauty and love?

These few adventures are exactly that – just a few of my fairy tale adventures. I’m told I go where angels fear to tread. But it’s just that the Gods guide me to the right place at the wrong time!! I simply accept with unconditional love, and see no reason why they shouldn’t continue the fun.

Today really is the first day of the rest of my life. I was only based in England to try to help my daughter, despite our tough personal circumstances, and despite doctors saying for decades my health needed warmer climes. But at last I've rented out my amazing home on the beach, and given up all work. It’s time to write as I travel, to share love and healing with other parts of the world, and perhaps to find love too.

Come and enjoy with me, fairy tale adventures along the way. Everything will be true, but you may not believe anything. And that’s exactly how life is in this weird and wonderful world.

Author

See my weird-but-true first blog post on December 1st 2011, for an overview of my polymath, joyful and horrid fairy tale life. Taste the yummy, Godly, disgusting and loving ingredients of future posts - all truthful, with just a little artistic licence.

If writing is the fruit of sin, I must have sinned greatly. Otherwise how was I cured after decades of being 80% disabled; how did I earn merits at a university creative writing course for poetry, fiction and non-fiction; and how did I travel and lecture on TV and radio internationally? I must surely have sinned in wonderfully fun ways.